Church of St Leonard

Details

TQ 94/9599 SOUTHMINSTER HIGH STREET (south side)

12/131 Church of St. Leonard 30.12.59 GV II*

Parish church. Nave shows 3 distinct heights of building, C12 septaria, rubble and Roman brick, C15 flint clerestory, C19 gault brick over. West tower base C12 of septaria and rubble, raised C15, repairs of red brick, flint flushwork gables. C15 north porch, flint with stone dressings circa 1820 Chancel, sanctuary, north and south transepts rendered brick. Bomb damage 1940. C20 concrete pantiles. Full height Chancel, sanctuary, north and south transepts for Dr. Alexander Scott, a former naval officer. Symmetrical. 5 angled gables, 2 light ogee windows, moulded 2 centre arched heads and labels to 2nd and 4th angles. Left and right corner turrets with slanting roofs. Transepts gabled to north and south with 3 stage angle buttresses. 4 cinquefoil lights witn reticulated tracery over, moulded 2 centre arched heads, label over. Doorway to west wall of north transept, sunk chamfered segmental pointed arch, sunk spandrels, flat head, label over. Small plastered lean-to extension to east wall of south transept. Nave, 2 north wall C15 clerestorey windows of 3 trefoiled lights, under square heads. East window of 2 cinquefoil lights, tracery over under a square head, label over. C15 north doorway, moulded jambs, re-set 2 centre arched head, label with headstops. 4 similar clerestorey windows to south wall, all partly restored. 3 windows to south wall, those to east and west of 2 cinquefoil lights, tracery over, under square heads, labels over. Between western and central windows part of a large red brick C12 round headed arch is visible. Central C15 window, 2 cinquefoil lights, tracery over under 4 centre arched head, label over. West of this window is the early C12 doorway with plain jambs, imposts and round head. C19 sundial and medieval scratch dial adjacent to east of doorway. To the north west of Nave is a stair turret with 2 small loop lights and lean-to roof. West tower of 3 stages, only the upper stage visible externaly. C15 moulded cornice with carved ball flowers, flint flushwork to shallow north and south gables. Iron ties to east and west walls. 5 stage buttress to south west angle. 2 stage buttress to north west angle. West door, C15 restored, double chamfered jambs, 2 centre arched head, label over. C19 vertically boarded door with strap hinges. C15 restored window above door. Of 2 cinquefoil lights under a square head, label over. Clock over north face stair turret. Second stage of south face has a C15 window with trefoil head, much eroded. Band and C15 partly restored windows of 2 trefoiled lights under square heads to each face of the bell chamber. C15 2 storey north porch. Crenellated, moulded band, moulded plinth. 3-stage buttresses to left and right. Each return wall has 2 windows of 2 cinquefoil lights, moulded labels. Those to ground floor with segmental arches, first floor, with square heads. Gargoyle to left return. 2 centred outer archway of 2 moulded orders, the inner resting on shafts with moulded capitals and bases. Moulded label with head stops. Above the archway are 3 niches, each with buttressed jambs, cusped, crocketted and finialed canopies and moulded cills carved with 3 heads, angels or shields. The C15 north doorway with moulded jambs, 2 centre arched head and label. A stoup to left of this door with cusping, ogee head and round drain. Interior. North porch. The ground. floor vaulted stone ceiling springs from angle shafts with moulded and crenellated capitals and moulded bases. Moulded ribs, carved bosses of the Trinity, Half Angels and foliate motifs, some eroded. The first: floor with timber cambered roof, is approached by stone stairs with central newel from a small C15 doorway with hollow chamfered jambs and 2 centred head, in north wall of Nave, C15 door of overlapping battens with strap hinges, similar entrance doorway to first floor room. Nave, Chancel, north and south transepts and transept crossing, vaulted ceilings, plastered and ribbed with bosses. C20 plastic tiled floors throughout. Chancel, reredos C19 carved stone, double left and right panels, crocketed and pinnacled pilasters, figures of SS. Cedd and Alban left and right of central cusped and illuminated panel, pointed head over, illuminations of 12 Apostles, central red marble crucifix, carved stone symbols of Crucifixion to soffit. Incorporated stone sedilia of 13 cusped and crenellated bays, one to right with marble shelf. C20 wrought iron posts and moulded wood altar rail. Traceried timber panelling to choir and organ. Front C15 poppy head choir stalls, the rest C19 copies. Moulded 2 centre head Chancel arch. A chest, table, glass fronted cupboard, looking glass and iron box fireplace, known as The Nelson Relics and reputed to have been brought from H.M.S. Victory by Dr. Alexander Scott, are in the transcept vestries. Nave. C19 brass eagle lectern. C19 carved timber octagonal pulpit, 2 light tracery to panels, saints to angles. C19/C20 stained glass and glass fragment margins and quarries to ground floor windows, clear glass to clerestory. Memorial board relating enlargement dated 1819. 2 consecration crosses, formee on splay of south doorway, the upper probably C12, the lower probably C15 when the church was extended by Vytoner, Abbot of St. Osyth, Essex. Font C15. Octagonal, moulded edge, quatrefoils with flower centres to panels. Stem with quatrefoil and cinquefoil headed panels. Quatrefoiled base with square flowers, C19 carved timber cover. C15 2 centred west tower arch of 3 chamfered orders, blocked round headed arch over. High up on east wall probably C12 carved stone head. South wall, C12 blocked window. North wall, chamfered 2 centred arched doorway. RCHM 1.

Listing NGR: TQ9585199696

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

428723

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
An Inventory of Essex South East, (1923)

End of official list entry

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